Pinning Away

Is it sad that I feel calmer when pinning things? It is as if I have actually been productive versus just clicking my mouse. Anyways, I haven't been on much the past week or two but here are a few of my favorites from this week.

Source: theyallhateus.com via Amber on Pinterest

I don't do nails usually, but I love this manicure!

Source: unique-vintage.com via Amber on Pinterest

Digging this necklace, and it reminds me of a favorite book...

Source: google.com via Amber on Pinterest

Source: allthingsgd.com via Amber on Pinterest

This caught my eye since so many babies are being expected this year.

Meal Plan Monday

A stomach bug put about 3 of the days last week pushed some meals to this week

Monday: out to dinner for my Mom's birthday (surprise!)

Tuesday: Johnny Marzetti & Pasta

Wednesday: Meatloaf(prepped from Tues) & Sweet potato fries

Thursday: Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

Friday: Feta Chicken & Couscous

Saturday: Probably Left overs

Johnny Marzetti with Noodles

This is my version of Johnny Marzetti, which is similar to a Chili Mac without the heat.  It is a hit in my household.  I'll have to update this with pictures some time but they eat it all up too fast!

Johnny Marzetti with Noodles

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 medium green pepper, diced
• 16 ounces tomatoes, diced or crushed, undrained
• 1 onion, chopped
• .125 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1-2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (to taste)
• 8 oz noodles (egg, elbows, small shells, or our favorite...wheels will do)
• 4 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

• Boil water for the egg noodles and cook as you prepare the rest of this dish. 
• Brown the ground beef and onion adding salt/pepper to taste. Drain the fat off. 
• Add in Worcestershire sauce
• Add in the tomatoes, green peppers. 
• Simmer a few minutes (add water if needed to desired consistency)
• Drain cooked noodles and place them in large serving bowl or pot an top with beef mixture
• Top with cheddar cheese.  

  This would probably freeze well too.

What's in the Bag?

I love bags.  Love them! I have quickly realized I have way too many, but in my defense, they all serve a specific purpose.

Here is my all purpose diaper bag from Skip Hop.
I carry in it a change of clothes, snacks, extra diapers, bibs, toiletries, and small toys.  This mostly stays in the car unless we are going to be out all day some place such as the zoo.  I love this bag and am trying to resist buying another bag this size since I really don't use it that much anymore.




This is my go to bag by JJ Cole. 
Simple. Little. Useful.  I love it and highly recommend it for any mommy-to-be.  Several diaper bags already come with something similar as an insert. It fits 2-3 diapers, a bib, changing cover (included), and a small wipes case. It fits easily into my regular purse and doesn't weigh me down.




Finally I have this awesome storage tote from Thirty-One. (Visit my girl Kacie to order one for yourself) Sturdy handles and a lot of depth make this a perfect carry all bag for all the gear when we go away for weekends.  It is also very multipurpose.



Head on over to Growing Up Geeky to see what other moms are saying about their diaper bags.

Mom Update

I went to see my mom this weekend.  We live a little over 2 hours apart.  I'm hoping to make it up there when I can, but when school lets out I'll have a more flexible schedule obviously.

Well, where do I begin.  Maybe I'll just split this up into two parts.

Medical Stuff:
She is still jaundice in her eyes.  It is creepy to see how yellow they can get.  She had a shunt put in to drain the bile and they also did a biopsy of her pancreas to gather more information. Apparently her tumor has only really developed in the past 3-4 weeks as it is and is already quiet large I'm told.   We are also told it is inoperable. She is back in the nursing home and goes back this week for her radiation marker appointment.  I think she will try the radiation treatment but doesn't want to try the chemotherapy part.

I think we are all confused on the timeline part.  The doctors are telling her 6 months -1 year with some treatments, 3-6 months with no treatments.   Both are erring on the lower sides.  We haven't been able to get an answer from the doctors yet it that is the general diagnosis for people, or for her specifically.   Mom is in poor health as it is so we are all thinking that those timelines are a stretch.  Our personal friends in the medical field are saying she's lucky to make 3 months.

We have no stage information about the cancer.  I don't know what the marker number was in her blood that originally confirmed it was cancer.  They did mention that it is wrapped around the pancreas which is making it inoperable.

She is weak and now is in pain.  She says she can't eat much either.  This is where things get tricky for me and how to relate to her.  She used to be heavily addicted to pain pills and just kicked them about 2 years ago (although she's been taking lots of other prescriptions since).  She is now back on her pain medicine of choice and I'm afraid of what that will do to her state of mind.  She wasn't always a kind woman or mother.  She also says she can't eat, but then was wanting me to bring her fast food and other stuff that wasn't good for her diet.  Part of me wants to be like "what the hell, live it up with french fries and ice cream if you've only got weeks left to live".  Overall though, she seems to be in decent spirits, but I can tell she is too tired to fight this.

We don't know if she'll be able to move out and about too much.  The idea that she can leave the nursing home overnight seems impossible to me.  I like her their too b/c they monitor her meds, but I know she doesn't want to die there. 

Emotional Stuff:

I have prepared myself for probably the past 5 years, if not more, to simply get a phone call saying that my mother had a massive heart attack and passed away.  She has already had a heart attack about 10 years ago, tried to commit suicide in front of me, and has been hospitalized countless times. So why should this news be shocking to me?  Why am I struggling with this?

I think the answer to that is finality.  This will be it.  For 20 years I have secretly in the depths of my heart wished that the mom I knew would reappear.  She hasn't and I know now with certainty that she won't.

That is all for now.

Spring Break -- Indianapolis

I don't technically get a Spring Break where I work, but I did get a nice long weekend this year.  We decided that since we have seen extended family recently, it would be nice to just go away with the four of us.  We live about 1 1/2 hours away from Indianapolis and with their award winning children's museum and zoo, it was an easy selection for our getaway location.

We had visited here before when Alex was about 18 months old, but it was perfect for the boys ages now too.
If you are in the mid-west and looking for a quick one-tank get away, I highly suggest going here.

The Indianapolis Children's museum --

Some might consider it a little pricey, but you'll get your money's worth in my opinion. It is about 4 different levels and caters to various age levels.  We had a blast!  Make sure to check out their website and see what special exibits are on.  They had Mr. Potato Head and a Lego one on, Transformers was coming and they had just finished a Barbie one.





Alex trying out the "underwater" exhibit.  I thought he resembled Scuba Steve more.

They have  large baby/toddler area too.  With all sorts of interactive and imaginary play.



 






The Indianapolis Zoo -- 
 

I am very picky about my zoos.  I'm not sure if this was the time of year and crowd, but this was a great trip this year.  The animals were all out and didn't look like they wanted to die in the heat and the crowd was very light until the afternoon. We got to see the dolphin show this time (Alex had a tantrum during his visit, so we had to skip it) and it was decent, although too much talking.  I just want to see the dolphins jump, lol. 




The animals were very "social" and were all putting on a show for us or were in really great photo opportunity spots.

I would recommend saving your money and skipping the train.  It went around the back of the zoo so you saw like 2 animals.  You did see a close up of a Speedway gas station though, lol.

Say it ain't so...

Yesterday I got some horrible news that my mother has a tumor on her pancreas and it is positive for cancer. I have a whole blog's worth of mommy issues and this news seems to only complicate them. I don't know if I'll be writing about things with her or not, but I might. I know I'm probably going to need an outlet. I have also seen so many wonderful things come from people who are experience tragedy and sadness through their blogs. I'll put this initial post out here and we will see if more follow.

Right now I'm just processing things and trying to learn more information about her prognosis and what the future may hold.

A Day In The Life

5:45am -- DH is in the shower.  He handles most of the morning routine so I can work on making myself look presentable for work, lol.

6:00am -- Up and in the shower, Alex eases into his day by watching Looney Tunes on our bed.  Cameron usually wakes up about this time too and Super Dad gets him changed and ready.

6:30am -- the boys eat breakfast, again handled by Super Dad

6:50am -- I pack my lunch and we are out the door and off to the sitters













7:25am -- I arrive at work...teach....teach...teach

11:45am -- Yay!  Lunch = 30 minutes of adult interaction.  Thankfully I have a great lunch bunch!

12:15-2:30pm -- teach...teach...teach.  Oh how I wish my room had a window!

2:30 - 4:00pm -- work/meetings and then it is off to get the kids (I try to call my mom during my commute too since she is in a nursing home and doesn't get much interaction)

4:30- 5:00pm -- arrive home.  We all seem to have to use the bathroom at the same time, which can be a challenge, or the boys want to play outside and all I want to do is change out of my work clothes.  Get the boys a snack.  Cameron usually goes down for a "cat" nap of about 30 minutes too.

5:00-6:00pm -- DH arrives home.  I'm preparing dinner and we eat.  We eat dinner at the table.  Together.  Every night.  I love it, although it can be a little noisy at times.

6:00-8:00pm -- play time and/or reading with the boys, clean up kitchen/house, laundry and bath time for the boys (3x a week)









8:00pm -- ready for bed.  Both boys are in bed at this time usually.  Cameron falls asleep pretty quickly and then we spend time reading to Alex individually and he is asleep usually before 9.

8:30 - 10:30pm -- Grading, planning, playing on the internet, paying bills, TV/music on in the background, preparing for tomorrow to do it all over again.


10:30-11:00pm -- My wind down time in bed.  DH sleeps as soon as his head hits the pillow, but I'm known to toss and turn a little longer.

Repeat it 5x a week.  




Check out more Day In The Life of other bloggers.

Meal Plan Monday

Monday: Chicken Cordon Bleu w/Stuffing

Tuesday: Crockpot Beef & Veggies

Wednesday: Leftovers from MOn & Tues

Thursday: Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

Friday: Feta Chicken & Couscous

Saturday: Pizza & Salad

Toddler Outdoor Fun

I am a SAHM in the summers and as much as I would love to just have my feet in the kiddie pool sipping on margaritas, I realize I should also entertain/teach my children.  Here are some ideas from Pinterest I'm hoping to make use of this summer at home.

Source: littletikes.com via Amber on Pinterest

Source: sunscholars.blogspot.com via Amber on Pinterest

Source: iammommahearmeroar.blogspot.com via Amber on Pinterest

Source: camoandbows.com via Amber on Pinterest

Source: domesticcharm.blogspot.com via Amber on Pinterest

Source: la-lashomedaycare.blogspot.com via Amber on Pinterest

What activities are you planning to do?

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake -- w/stuffing

I can't believe I haven't shared this recipe on my blog yet.  I came across it awhile ago (on Pinterest I believe) and now it was just featured on Onceamonthomom.com.  It is a tasty easy to please meal that freezes well too.  Enjoy! -- I've made my substitutions and suggestions in italics

**I'll be posting a second version soon made with Instant Rice versus stuffing too.**

Ingredients:

• 2 (6 oz) packages seasoned stuffing mix
• 10.5 oz cream of chicken soup (she makes her own, I just buy low sodium at the store)
• 1 cup milk
• 8 cups chicken, cooked and cubed (for a smaller batch, use a rotisserie or left over chicken)
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 lb deli ham, sliced and cut into 1″ strips (I just buy the cubed up stuff already to go by the deli meat/bacon in the store)
• 1 cup swiss cheese, shredded
• 3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded  (this might be optional, I just used the swiss and that was fine, but again I was making a smaller batch)

Directions:

Prepare stuffing mixes according to package directions. In a large bowl, combine soup and milk, set aside.  Divide chicken between 2 greased 9×13 foil baking pans.  Sprinkle chicken with pepper.  Layer with ham, swiss cheese, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, soup mixture and stuffing.  Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese.  Cover and bake 350F for 45 minutes.  uncover, bake 10-15 minutes more or until cheese is melted.

Freezing Directions:

Follow instructions above.  Cover and freezer up to 3 months.  Thaw.  Remove from fridge 30 minutes before baking.  Cover and bake 350F for 45 minutes.  Uncover, baking 10-15 min more or until heated through and cheese is melted.  

Servings: 12 (2 9×13 casseroles)

 

source: Lisa @ Onceamonthmom.com

Toddle Along Tuesday -- Can you guess this face?

Ok, so last week I posted my most adorable photo that I had taken of my oldest.  This week is the funnest picture that we've taken.  This next pictures is of my littlest guy.  If you have a little one, I know you've seen this face before.  I'm sure he'll be oh so pleased I posted it on the interwebs someday when he is older, but I couldn't resist.

Someone get this kid some prunes stat!  Either that or call in the exorcist because he's possessed!

Check out more funny baby blooper pictures at

Easter Menu

This is my first year hosting an Easter Dinner.  It is just the 4 of us, so I'm not going all out with large servings or tons of selection.

Orange Glazed Baked Ham 

Orange Glazed Carrots

Au Gratin Potatoes (cheating and using a box mix)

Roasted Asparagus

Rolls

Dessert is an assortment of yummy cookies that my Dad sent to us.  He used Cheryls.com and they are so delicious (I might have tasted one already).  They were delivered to us in a nice Easter tin (similar to the batch below, but on in the egg carton)













Happy Easter Everyone!

Toddler Easter Baskets

I'm a fan of sweets for myself, but not so much for the kiddos, so I try to limit overdosing them on candy.

Their baskets are from Target and are very durable.  Alex already knows that his basket exists, so in our house we kind of treat it like Christmas stockings.  We leave the basket out and in the morning then they have to find it because the Easter bunny has filled them with goodies and hidden it somewhere.  Why do we do this tradition?  Simple, I grew up with the tradition and I like to spoil my kids.  No other reason really. 

Here is what I've come up with them for this year.

Cameron (1 year old)

• Where Are Baby's Easter Eggs?: A Lift-the-Flap Book (Karen Katz Lift-the-Flap Books)
• Llama Llama Nighty-Night (Llama Llama Board Books)
• Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Puppy's Playhouse (which I got for a steal at Target last week)
• Easter Play-doh
• Annie's Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks
• Teddy Grahams

Alexander (4 years old)

• The Muppets (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy + Soundtrack Download Card)
• Spider-Man Activity book
• Lego Sticker Book
• Mini Lego Figurine
• Bubble Wand
• Crayola Color Wonder Book
• M&Ms and Reece's Pieces (perhaps these are really for me)
• Strawberry Milk Straws
• Annie's Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks
• Chocolate Bunny

Maybe I went a little overboard...

Toddle Along Tuesday--Favorite Photo Contest

Toddle Along Tuesday's blog hop this week is a favorite photograph that we have taken.  You mean I have to choose one?!  This is a picture of my oldest son, Alexander, when he was 10 mos. old.  I just want to squeeze him he looks so cuddly in it.  There are a ton of other pictures I love of both my boys.  My camera has to be my favorite gift from my husband.

Slimming Down Sunday -- Week 13

Week 13

Weight Change: -1.2

Total Difference: -7.4 pounds since post-Thanksgiving Day

Goal Progress: 2.6 pounds to go before mini-goal #1

Notes: The yo-yo continues.